by Daniels, Joy
When he caught sight of Sarah standing by the closet he stumbled, almost dropping the tray. He’d expected her to still be in bed but she’d gotten up and found herself something to wear. His favorite plaid shirt. It draped over her breasts and grazed her hips, landing mid-thigh. His gaze drifted down to where her fingers tugged on the hem against her leg. His cock twitched.
With a smile he looked up at her face but in place of the desire he’d hoped to see, there was a kind of embarrassed guilt. Only then did he notice the open closet door and the tie dangling from her hand. His smile disappeared.
“Gone exploring, I see.”
“I was looking for something to wear.”
“You were planning to wear a tie?”
She looked down at the blue tie, seeming surprised, as if she’d forgotten it was there. “No. I was just—”
“Checking out the merchandise?” His hand shook. He put the coffee tray on the dresser.
She shrugged. “Women like to snoop. We like clothes.” She smiled. “Especially designer clothes.”
He took a deep breath. “I hardly wear them.”
“Pity. I bet you look fine in those suits.” She smiled.
It was a compliment but he had too much experience with that kind of flattery to be pleased. “They’re from a past life—one I’ve left behind.” He moved to close the closet, but she stepped in his way, clearly unwilling to let the subject drop.
“But you still have the clothes.”
His jaw tightened. “Why are you so interested in my clothes?”
“Why are you so defensive about them?”
Somewhere in the back of his mind he asked the same question but brushed it aside before an answer could arise. “I don’t need them anymore. I don’t need any of that.” He waved a hand, encompassing the closet, clothes and everything else he’d put behind him. “I’m perfectly happy with the life I have here.”
“Really?”
A fist of disappointment hit him in the gut. He’d thought that Sarah was enjoying her time in Rapture but evidently the trappings of wealth and status turned her on more than racing down the track or waking up next to a country boy. It was Natalie all over again, but he was done with that lifestyle and no city girl was going to drag him back to it.
No matter how sexy she looked in his shirt.
She tilted her head as if studying him. “Something doesn’t add up here, Cole Cassidy—”
“And it’s your business, how?”
Sarah sucked in a breath and her eyes widened. She stood for a moment with her mouth open, then closed it and shook her head.
“It’s none of my business. In fact, I have no business being here at all, so if you would just point me to my suitcase I’ll put on my fancy clothes—” she made quotes around the word, “—and get the hell out of your face.”
She turned away but not before Cole saw the sudden sheen on her lashes.
He ran a hand over his eyes. What was he saying? He’d made love to this woman, woken up next to her and now he was treating her like the enemy because of what another woman had done wrong? He had to stop blaming her for Natalie’s—for his—mistakes.
“Sarah, wait.” He put a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. Looking down, she seemed to discover the tie again and tossed it over a chair.
“I’m sorry. This isn’t about you. You just touched a nerve, and I overreacted.”
She shook her head, still looking away from him. “Look, you don’t have to tell me anything—”
“I want to tell you.”
Slowly she turned to him and gave a go on look but didn’t move any closer.
He took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. “For years the annual stock car racing awards ceremonies were held in New York City. I went for the speeches and parties at first, but found myself spending more and more time there. Eventually I got caught up in the whole moneyed lifestyle. Even got an apartment.”
“Where?”
“The Meatpacking District. A two-bedroom co-op.” He waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter.”
She nodded. “So you lived in Manhattan in an apartment I would kill for. Met a woman?”
He nodded. “Natalie. We dated for a while. Things got serious.”
“How serious?”
“I bought a ring.”
Sarah’s brows rose. Yeah, that kind of serious.
“I brought her home to show her where I came from. It was a disaster. She couldn’t relate to Rapture.” He snorted at the understatement. “Hated it really. Too small. Too backwards. In the end she wanted nothing to do with this part of my life.”
Sarah gestured at the closet with sympathy in her eyes. “She wanted the sophisticated side of you but not the hick.”
He nodded. “I broke it off. Let go of the apartment and haven’t been back.”
“Not even for the awards?”
“They’ve moved the ceremonies to Las Vegas.”
“Hate New York that much, eh?”
He shook his head. “No, I love it—that’s the problem.” He saw her confusion and continued. Now that they’d come this far he wanted her to understand.
“Natalie rejected my roots, but the truth was that I’d done the same thing. I dove into the hip city lifestyle and left behind everything that made me what I am.”
Sarah shrugged. “So you went to a bit of an extreme. Happens sometimes. But it sounds like you’ve now swung the other way. Why? I mean small towns are great—people help each other out, no one locks their doors—but why does it have to be one or the other?”
Cole was speechless. Had Sarah just said, “small towns are great”? Not in a million years could he imagine those words coming from Natalie’s lips. If he’d needed any more proof that Sarah was different, he had it now.
She continued. “I mean, why choose? New York is only a six-hour drive from here and Washington, D.C. even less than that. You don’t have to live on Park Avenue to enjoy city life once in a while. Live in the country and visit the city when you want to.” She gave him a shy smile. “Even city girls appreciate a little country now and then.”
Would she? He’d love the chance to show her around. Dressed as she was in his shirt he had no trouble imagining her at Morrissey’s in town. He could take her there to have a beer with the guys. A real beer, not that light crap she claimed to like—
Whoa. He was getting ahead of himself. Just because she lacked Natalie’s snobbery didn’t mean Sarah was ready to make Rapture a long-term destination.
But he couldn’t get the thought out of his head.
Cole nodded. He seemed to come to some sort of a conclusion. “You’re right. Maybe I can have both.”
She smiled and turned toward the bed. Cole’s hand landed on her arm. She looked up at his face.
“Can we start over?”
He looked sheepish and apologetic. Sarah couldn’t hold back a smile. “Yes. Let’s.”
Cole pulled her into his arms and brought her head to his chest. His lips kissed her hair. His actions were far more intimate than the passionate kiss she’d been expecting and tightness grew in her chest that had nothing to do with the strength of Cole’s arms around her. Unsettled, she pulled back.
She didn’t get far. Cole kept his arms around her and looked down.
“Sarah, I’m sorry—”
She held up a hand. “It’s over and forgotten. Now how about that coffee?” He let her go and she sat on the bed, pulling her legs up to make room for him.
He retrieved the tray from the dresser. Sarah felt as if an age had passed since he’d come through the door, but steam still rose from the mugs. He set the tray on the mattress and settled next to it. She took a deep breath and the rich, bitter aroma filled her nostrils. Mmmm.
“Mmmm,” Cole echoed but when she looked up his gaze wasn’t on the coffee—it swept her from head to toe. “You look downright edible in my shirt.”
The heat in his eyes did funny things to her insides. Before she could pinpoint
exactly what, he leaned across the tray. A brush of his coffee-flavored lips over hers sent a buzz along her nerves stronger than mere caffeine.
She nipped his lower lip. “Does that come with cream and sugar?”
Heat flared in his eyes. “Whipped cream, but only if you ask nicely.”
He brushed a curl of hair off her cheek, pausing to rub his thumb over her lower lip. She sucked it into her mouth. His gaze locked on hers as he shifted on the bed—and the milk sloshed onto the tray.
“Whoa!” He sat back and steadied the glass. Picking up a mug, he raised a brow in question. “Coffee first? Or…after?”
Wait to have him? How could she when he looked so delicious? On the other hand, he’d brought coffee and she’d already waited longer than usual for her first cup. Even sex would be better after caffeine…
She hesitated too long. “Oh man, I’ve been thrown over for a cup of coffee!” he said in mock horror. “I might never recover.”
Sarah laughed with him, enjoying the ease with which he could make her smile. “Oh, I think I can make it up to you.” She reached for the cup.
“Promise?” He relinquished the coffee only after she nodded.
What might that promise entail? What would she want it to mean? She pondered the questions as she fixed her coffee. To her surprise the glass didn’t hold milk but real cream. It was a far cry from her usual two percent, but she wasn’t complaining—some occasions called for indulgence. Eyeing the six-foot-plus hunk of beautiful man before her, she knew that this was one of them.
Cole took the glass and stood up with the tray. Sarah watched him move across the room to place it on the dresser. He moved like a cat, all muscle and grace. She wanted to stroke him.
What would it take to make him purr? Her belly tightened at the thought.
Cole stepped into the bathroom, robbing Sarah of the beautiful view. With that stimulant gone, she turned her attention back to the one in her hand. She brought the cup to her nose and breathed in a curl of richly scented steam before taking that first sip. Mmmm. She closed her eyes to savor the taste. Warmth flowed into her stomach, bringing with it a feeling of contentment that she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
An amazing orgasm last night and coffee in bed the morning after. This was better than any spa she’d ever been to.
She opened her eyes. The spa. She was supposed to be heading there today. The thought of staying in Rapture a little longer entered her mind, but she dismissed it immediately. Although she felt closer to him now that they’d cleared the air about his past, a one-night stand was just that and they’d already had theirs. Besides, Cole had said “no expectations”, which meant that she should think about when she was going to leave and alert the spa to her arrival time.
Cole came back into the room. “You’re expecting the part today, right?” she asked. He nodded. “I’m just wondering so I can let the folks at the spa know when to expect me.”
“Leaving so soon?”
Sarah’s brow furrowed. His words sounded less like a question than a…challenge. As in do you really think you’re leaving so soon?
Or was that wishful thinking on her part? She wanted to stay. But more than that, she wanted him to want her to stay. To insist on it. Demand it. To not allow her to leave his beloved hometown.
How pathetic was that?
Chapter Ten
Cole tried and failed to keep the edge out of his voice. He’d known that Sarah planned to leave today—she had a reservation at the spa. It was selfish for him to want her to stick around.
So why did her words make him want to tie her to the bed to keep her here? Maybe he should have lied about the car…
A touch of wariness entered her voice. “You said the part would be in sometime today…”
“It will, as promised.” He stepped closer to the bed. “But then I still have to fix your car. Without that you’re stuck here, aren’t you?”
She nodded, eyes widening. He heard her breath catch. The possessiveness she aroused was almost as surprising to him as it seemed to be to her. But seeing her tongue dart out to moisten her lips, he suspected that he wasn’t the only one who found it exciting.
His cock hardened as he took another step. His voice dropped to a rumble. “I could leave your little car up on the lift in my garage. Then where would you be?”
The cup in Sarah’s hand shook and she put it on the bedside table. “Right here.”
The huskiness in her voice made his balls tighten. Another step. She shifted back. “Where?”
“Here.” The word was barely a whisper. “In your bed.”
“That’s right. Until I fix your getaway vehicle, you’re my captive.” He added a smile at the end to let her know that he was joking.
Wasn’t he?
“What are you going to do—tie me up?” Her voice was light but cracked on those last words, and a flush stained her chest and neck. Interesting.
Now that they’d really cleared the air he wanted to keep her in town for more than sex, but that wasn’t a bad place to start.
“Now there’s an idea.” He prowled closer. “Maybe I will.”
Her legs were bent, her body poised to flee. Her nostrils flared like prey scenting danger. Smart woman—he was feeling dangerous. The kind of dangerous that would lead to cries of pleasure and pleas for more. Lust spiked through his veins.
“Ever let a man do that to you, Sarah?” he asked, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer. “Tie you up? Your body at his mercy? Your pleasure his responsibility?” It was a burden he would willingly embrace.
Her pupils were so large that her brown eyes appeared black. Grasping her bottom lip between her teeth, she shook her head.
“Never? What a shame. I bet you’d love it.”
She started to shake her head, then stopped. Now they were getting somewhere. “I think you’d be surprised, darlin’. Quite surprised.”
She tried to retreat again but was hampered by the sheets, which tangled about her legs. Cole stalked after her, one knee on the mattress, then the other. His movements were slow and deliberate, giving her a chance to stop him; this game was fun only if two wanted to play.
She must have read the question in his eyes, for even as she scooted back, she nodded. Desire danced in her eyes, stoking the flames that threatened to consume him.
But it was the trust in her gaze that did him in.
Her strength appealed to him. Her vulnerability made him want to take care of her. It was more than good Southern manners—it was passion and lust and something else he couldn’t begin to name. Something that made him want to claim this woman in the most basic, primitive way possible—and they’d only met yesterday.
He needed her. Beneath him, her legs wide, her moans filling his ears as his cock filled her body. With a growl of pure masculine desire, he closed the distance between them. He leaned forward into her space, so close that she fell back onto the mattress. His arms bracketed her torso as he hovered over her.
“Sarah.” Her name was a benediction, a prayer to a smart, sexy city-girl goddess who had enslaved him in one night. “I want you.” His voice trembled when her hands came up to rest lightly on his arms. This woman did things to him.
Shifting onto one elbow, Cole slid a hand to the hem of the shirt Sarah wore. “You look mighty fine in my shirt, darlin’, but it’s got to come off.” Again no words but her eager nod made his fingers clumsy. After a moment of fumbling, he gave a sharp tug, sending buttons flying. She gasped.
The shirt could be replaced.
He peeled the fabric away from her gorgeous breasts. Her rosy nipples were puckered and taut atop full mounds that shimmied with each rapid breath. Both looked so delicious he almost couldn’t decide between them. But need outweighed indecision—he lowered his mouth to the right one. With his gaze locked on hers, he took the erect nipple in his mouth and sucked. Hard.
Sarah arched into him with a cry, fisting her hands in his hair. Her grip was so tight it hu
rt but Cole welcomed the pain, the fierceness of her desire. He smiled against her skin. Bring it on.
Sarah knew she was pulling Cole’s hair too hard, but she needed something to hold on to. The pleasure radiating through her body was making her light-headed and without something to ground her she was afraid she’d float away. Or explode. Hence the death-grip on his scalp.
On the other hand, she desperately wanted to touch him. To explore any and every bit of Cole she could reach. Her fingers wandered over the smooth skin of his neck and shoulders, the lightly furred planes of his chest. When she found his small, taut nipples she couldn’t resist a pinch. He rewarded her with a shudder and groan. Before she could do anything else Cole reached for her hands. He tugged on the cuffs of his shirt. Realizing what he was trying to do, she raised her arms over her head so he could take the shirt off. It was time to get down to the serious business of being naked.
He pulled the soft material over her arms and hands. But before she could resume her exploration of his body, he caught her wrists in one large hand. He pinned them to the mattress. The tips of her fingers touched the cool wrought-iron bars. His other hand stroked down her body, over her neck and shoulders. His mouth followed, kissing where his fingers touched.
He’d spoken of holding her captive and tying her up. Was he serious?
The thought made her nervous—and damned hot at the same time. She had never ever wanted to submit to a man like this, although more than a few had asked. So why was this man making her reconsider?
All questions flew from her head as Cole captured her breast with his mouth. He rolled one nipple, then the other with his tongue, lightly scoring the skin with his teeth. At the same time his free hand traveled down her belly and slipped between her thighs. Without a pause he parted her lower lips and brushed her clit.
She was still reacting to the jolt that touch had sent through her when his fingers dove for her wet channel. One finger slipped in, then two. Sarah pressed up, pushing herself against his hand. His fingers thrust into her as his mouth came up to claim hers. “I need to feel you here, darlin’,” he said against her lips and Sarah nodded. She needed that too—badly.
